Darrell Royal’s Texas Longhorn legacy still stands the test of time

Darrell Royal's legacy with the Texas Longhorns continues to stand the test of time.

Over two decades as head coach, Royal led Texas to a 167-47-5 overall record.

He won three national championships: 1963, 1969, and 1970.

He also won 11 Southwest Conference titles.

Those numbers are why the Longhorns play in Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium every Saturday.

Royal is considered the greatest Texas head coach in program history.

He is also regarded as one of the best college football coaches of all time.

Sports Illustrated recently released its ranking of the "25 Greatest Coaches in College Football History."

Royal came in at No. 18 on that list.

He ranked ahead of BYU legend LaVell Edwards.

He also ranked ahead of Notre Dame icon Lou Holtz.

He landed just behind Florida and South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier.

He also landed just behind Penn State's Joe Paterno.

Nick Saban topped the list as the greatest of all time.

Saban won seven national championships and 12 conference titles across his tenures at Alabama and LSU.

Other legendary Texas head coaches did not make the top 25.

Mack Brown, who won a national title at Texas in 2005, was not included.

Fred Akers, who led the Longhorns to three SWC titles, was not included.

Dana Bible, who coached Texas in the early 20th century, was not included.

Royal's impact goes beyond his record.

He was known for his one-liners and motivational phrases.

These became known as "Royalisms."

One of his most famous quotes: "God gives talent, size, speed. But a guy can control how hard he tries."

Another: "I want to be remembered as a winning coach, but I also want to be remembered as an honest and ethical coach."

He also said: "You've got to think lucky. If you fall into a mud hole, check your back pocket -- you might have caught a fish."

And: "Punt returns will kill you quicker than a minnow can swim a dipper."

And: "Don't matter what they throw at us. Only angry people win football games."

These sayings are still repeated by players and coaches today.

They are part of the culture at Texas.

Royal's philosophy shaped the program long after he left the sideline.

He coached at Texas from 1957 to 1976.

During that time, he turned the Longhorns into a national power.

He recruited and developed players who went on to the NFL.

He also helped integrate the Texas football program.

Royal signed the first Black scholarship athlete in school history.

That player was Julius Whittier, who joined the team in 1970.

Whittier became a starter on the 1970 national championship team.

Royal's influence on the game is still felt across college football.

His teams were known for their tough defense and running game.

He popularized the wishbone offense in the late 1960s.

That offense helped Texas win back-to-back national titles in 1969 and 1970.

Many other programs adopted the wishbone after Royal's success.

The SI list ranks the greatest coaches based on several factors.

These include championships, winning percentage, and impact on the sport.

Royal's three national titles and 11 conference championships placed him high.

His consistent success over two decades also helped.

He never had a losing season at Texas.

His lowest win total was six wins in 1957, his first year.

After that, he won at least eight games every season.

He won 10 or more games in 10 of his 20 seasons.

His 1969 team went 11-0 and won the national title.

That team is considered one of the best in college football history.

The 1970 team also went 11-0 and won another national title.

Royal's 1963 team went 11-0 as well.

All three championship teams were undefeated.

Royal was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1983.

He died in 2012 at the age of 88.

His legacy continues to be honored at Texas.

The stadium was renamed for him in 1996.

It is one of the largest stadiums in college football.

It seats over 100,000 fans.

Royal's statue stands outside the stadium.

Fans still recite his quotes on game days.

The Longhorns still play with the same blue-blood identity Royal built.

The current team is led by head coach Steve Sarkisian.

Sarkisian has often referenced Royal's influence.

He has said that Royal's standards still guide the program.